


Scythes And Similarities

by HungryLibrary



Category: RWBY
Genre: Gen, Qrow dad theory, alternate introduction au, friends make innocent assumption, yang gets suspicious they might be right
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-17
Updated: 2015-11-17
Packaged: 2018-05-02 01:05:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5227988
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HungryLibrary/pseuds/HungryLibrary
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>(If Qrow and Ruby did some synchronized scythe wielding before the girls had a chance to introduce their uncle)</i>
</p>
<p>Steel whizzed a bare inch above Ruby’s head.</p>
<p>Tossing their scythes up, Ruby and Qrow both twirled tightly before catching them again, whirling around in a wide slash that nicked wickedly at the edges of their clothes.</p>
<p>Blake’s bow flinched back in shock. “Isn’t that dangerous?”</p>
<p>“Nah.” Yang dismissed with a grin, not taking her eyes off the performance. “I mean, for other people yeah it would be, but Ruby and Qrow could do this blindfolded in their sleep. Don’t worry.”</p>
<p>“That somehow fails to be very reassuring.” Commented Weiss from her perch at the edge of her seat.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Scythes And Similarities

“Couldn’t they decimate a handful of practice dummies like normal people?”

Yang shrugged. “Sure they could. It’s just that this is way more fun!”

“Not for me it isn’t.” Weiss muttered.

Blake nodded silently in agreement, hands knotted into fists as she tried to track each blurring sweep of scythe blade as it passed by her friend.

Snickering at them, Yang pulled out her scroll and aimed it down at the show, recording a bit in case Tai missed the live broadcast.

A clattering behind their seats made her look around.

“Did we miss it?” Jaune panted as team JNPR hurried to fill their seats. “The thing they said Ruby was going to do, didn’t catch what it actually was.”

Tapping him lightly on the shoulder, Pyrrha directed her partner’s gaze towards the field.

“I believe it an exposition in scythe usage, and we seem to be right on time.”

“Isn’t it great?” Yang felt her grin widen at the way Jaune went suddenly pale as he caught sight of Ruby and Qrow’s dance. She positively smirked when the blonde boy sank down in his seat, hands covering his face as he peeked shakily through them.

“Woah!” Nora’s reaction was the complete opposite, standing up on her seat to get a better look. “It’s like a color guard only with real weapons!”

“Shhh!” Weiss hissed. “For god’s sake don’t distract them!”

“I doubt they would be able to hear Nora over the noise the rest of the stadium is making…” Pyrrha noted as Ren gently tugged Nora back down.

Glancing at Yang, Pyrrha smiled.

“Quite apart from the skill involved, it’s wonderful to see such a close bond between father and daughter.”

She motioned down at the two figures. “Scythe wielding must be an inherited talent.” Pyrrha mused. “It certainly explains why Ruby is so proficient after so few years of training.”

Listening to her, Yang couldn’t help but snort with laughter.

“That’s _Qrow_ she’s preforming with.” She explained. “He’s not-”

“Is that your dad?” Jaune dared to peer out from behind his hands. “Man am I slow. Guess the family resemblance doesn’t stop at the scythes, huh?”

Yang frowned. “No, he’s-”

This time it was Weiss who butted in, voice vague as she reserved most of her attention for the ridiculously dangerous display below.

“I thought your father’s name was Taiyang? Wasn’t that what he signed that note with?”

Now getting a bit annoyed, Yang looked around. “Yeah, that’s where my name comes from.” Her scroll’s camera had drifted off target. She jerked it back into place with a huff.

“Ohhh.” Nora nodded sagely. “So you’re half-sisters right? That’s why you look so different!”

“What?” Yang snapped, thoroughly muddled and distracted.

Out the corner of her eye she saw Blake frown, golden eyes flicking her way, just as confused.

Sighing, Yang rubbed at spot on her forehead that was starting to throb.

“Look.” She said firmly and clearly. “Qrow taught Ruby how to use a scythe and she picked it up fast. He’s family and her teacher, but not her…”

She trailed off, staring down at the pair as the routine sped towards its finish.

Ruby and Qrow moved like reflections in a mirror, spinning in perfect synchronization, dark hair and red cloaks snapping in their wake as they worked their scythes effortlessly across shoulders and around limbs.

They certainly  _looked_ like they could be father and daughter, mimicking each other like that.

Pyrrha had said Ruby’s skill made more sense if it came natural- Glancing around at the cheering stadium crowd, Yang realized suddenly that this show wouldn’t have been shoehorned into the Tournament if seeing two master level scythe wielders wasn’t pretty rare.

Growing up with both her sister and uncle using them, Yang had just assumed scythes weren’t used because other weapons were more popular right now, a novelty not many were into.

But the opening commentary hadn’t mentioned anything like that. Just the fact that scythe mastery was a challenging feat, and weren’t they all lucky to have two such well-versed practitioners available to give a demonstration.

“…Yang?”

“Hm?”

Coming back to herself, Yang refocused her attention on the field- only to see her sister and uncle easing out of their finishing pose, scythe blades lowering as they bowed first to each other and then to the stadium in general.

“It’s over.” Blake pointed out. “Are you alright?”

Throwing her partner a bright smile Yang snapped her scroll shut cheerfully.

“Sure I am!” Getting up, she waved the others after her as she headed for the exit. “Come on, it’s about time you all were properly introduced.”

_To our uncle._  She finished to herself, not liking how unsure her own thoughts sounded inside her head.

_Our family has its secrets but that_  isn’t  _one of them…_

Slipping down a corridor ahead of the others, Yang rounded a corner just in time to spot Qrow and Ruby walk in, Qrow’s hand resting proudly on her shoulder as Ruby filled the air with excited babble.

The sight brought Yang up short.

Something almost like a memory stirred. Something about their life before, back on Patch.

‘If you’re father had been born a girl’, people had often said to her, ‘then you are what Taiyang would have looked like.’

Why was she remembering that now though-

“Hey Ruby!” Jaune called from behind her. “Oh, h-hello there, Mr. Rose.”

Qrow’s eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Ruby glanced at Jaune quizzically. “Uh, Jaune? That’s my uncle, Qrow  _Branwen_.”

Yang didn’t have to look back, she could almost feel the wave of confusion wash over the group behind her. Ruby was still staring curiously from them to Yang.

“Why’d you think he was my dad? Didn’t Yang tell you?”

“Ah.” Pyrrha summarized eloquently. “Sorry, we were watching you two and just assumed-”

“It’s fine.”

A thin smile crept over Qrow’s face, probably an attempt to be reassuring. “Not the hardest mistake to make, even if I’m not qualified to be anyone’s father.”

His hand fell from Ruby’s shoulder as he said it, and maybe it was that or maybe it was the hint of dark amusement in his voice that made Ruby crane up at him, silver eyes suddenly sharp as she tried to catch his gaze.

Qrow very carefully ignored her in favor of examining their friends.

“So let me guess…” He studied them each in turn, rubbing thoughtfully at his stubbly chin.

“Ruby’s written enough about you I think I should manage to put faces to names. You’ll be her partner, obviously.” He nodded at Weiss. “The amazing Miss Schnee.”

Weiss bristled on instinct and drew herself up to her full and underwhelming height.

“Ruby and I are partners, yes.” She shot Ruby a glare. “What has she been telling-”

“And that’s the mysterious Blake Belladonna.” Qrow went on. “Well read and well informed on a wide range of topics, much more friendly than one would initially think.”

Blake nodded slightly, face impassive.

Qrow nodded back and moved on to team JNPR.

“Then we have the Arc boy, the accomplished and kindhearted Pyrrha Nikos, and the eternal duo of Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie.” Jaune’s face went red as both Nora and Pyrrha waved.

“You all seem just as she said.” Finally a real smile worked its unfamiliar way across Qrow’s features.

“I’m glad she’s managed to find friends here.”

“Ugh.” Ruby gagged, brought out of her examination. “Uncle Qrow, do you have to be like that?”

Ruby groaned in annoyance when a large hand descended to tousle her hair.

“It’s family privilege to embarrass each other.” He looked up casually as Ruby tried to squirm away. “Am I right, Yang?”

“Yep!”

The lightness in her voice didn’t match the hard look she sent her maternal uncle.

“Definite family privilege.”

Exactly what kind of family were they, though?


End file.
